FJ sold. Bought wife awd Chevy Traverse. She picked. I'm driving her Forester until I find something. Depsite being a sedan, I was going to look at a Jetta GLI but it was gone already. There's both a GTI and a Mazdaspeed 3 that are nearby that I'm interested in as well, but finding a Subaru that I want and isn't overpriced relative to its competitors or has silly miles is proving difficult. I think I'd be happy with a hot hatch. Actually considering DSG in a Volkswagen, just to make it easier to switch because my wife is not a fan of manuals, and there are times that I need the space. Plus could keep racks off my car in that case. We'll see.

ryguy79 wrote:FJ sold. Bought wife awd Chevy Traverse. She picked. I'm driving her Forester until I find something. Depsite being a sedan, I was going to look at a Jetta GLI but it was gone already. There's both a GTI and a Mazdaspeed 3 that are nearby that I'm interested in as well, but finding a Subaru that I want and isn't overpriced relative to its competitors or has silly miles is proving difficult. I think I'd be happy with a hot hatch. Actually considering DSG in a Volkswagen, just to make it easier to switch because my wife is not a fan of manuals, and there are times that I need the space. Plus could keep racks off my car in that case. We'll see.

Ah - too bad about that GLI. Looked awesome. What year GTI are you looking at? If it's the same generation as my old GTI - Mark VI, I think… it was such an amazing car. Took it out to the mountains a few times and loved it. The active / swivelling headlights are actually a pretty big revelation on mountain roads at night.

Drove a Mazdaspeed 3 tonight. Went to a dealer that had a 2008 that I was initially interested in, but it had sold today. The also had a 2011 that just came in today. 45,000 miles, somewhat modded but I didn't get all the details, but I know it had Cobb tune, intake, exhaust, aftermarket suspension and brakes, maybe more. Holy bejesus it was quick when it finally hooked up in 3rd gear. Brakes felt amazing.

I thought long and hard about it. They offered way over kbb trade value on the Forester and another $1500 off their asking price for the car, but I guess I'm just not comfortable buying someone else's modded car. And I'm not sure a high powered FWD car is in my future anymore, the power was useless around town but fun on highway ramps.

Back to finding the perfect Subaru I guess. Afterwards, had a bit of an epiphany on the way home. Maybe I'm getting old, but having driven a quick car again, I realized that its really not that important to me when I was driving the pokey automatic Forester home. I just want a decent handling hatch/wagon with a manual more than power at this point. Might even go for an Impreza wagon, 07ish, if I can find one with a manual. Certainly easier on the wallet in both purchase price and gas as an added bonus.

It's all the more crap when you realize how shitty it is to drive out there. I'd say that even driving my econobox at 2/5ths, I'm still out-accelerating and out-cornering 95% of traffic. It would be frustrating as all hell trying to drive a car with actual power and a tuned suspension when you spend all day every day stuck behind three lanes full of Honda Pilots all doing 2 MPH under the limit.

JaysonAych wrote:It's all the more crap when you realize how shitty it is to drive out there. I'd say that even driving my econobox at 2/5ths, I'm still out-accelerating and out-cornering 95% of traffic. It would be frustrating as all hell trying to drive a car with actual power and a tuned suspension when you spend all day every day stuck behind three lanes full of Honda Pilots all doing 2 MPH under the limit.

Motherfucking truth!

People wonder why my Evo only has 38k on the clock. It's because my drive to work offers virtually zero opportunities to get on it. I only drive nine miles each way and it's 35 everywhere... except where it's 25.

The way home there are a couple opportunities - I take different routes to and from due to traffic patterns - in a nice, long on-ramp as well as a 270* offramp. 90% of the time I get stuck behind someone wanting to do 35 on either. Just the other day I was behind a Mini on the exit ramp that wanted to play, but we were both stuck behind a Camry that apparently had nowhere to be. Cock block.

It's actually not as bad as I'm making it out to be, but can be very frustrating when it does.

That being said, weekend trips and general errands are way better in the Evo. I couldn't see myself with just my Impreza as it's so damn slow and too utilitarian/boring for me.

It's gotten to where I don't understand why average Americans want so much power in their cars compared to car buyers everywhere else in the world. We never fucking use it. Every day on my commute I usually can accelerate without ever going over 2,000 RPM and blow by every car on the road, including a multitude of cars that put out way more torque than I do, because no one pays attention to lights and when they finally notice it's their turn to go, they go as slow as humanly fucking possible.

So I've since driven a 2005 Impreza Outback Sport and a 2007 Impreza wagon. 07 felt slightly more free revving but not necessarily faster. Neither was fast, but decently fun and lots of WRX suspension bits bolt right up. And I won't mind putting a hitch and bike rack on the back of these. Probably better overall for my lifestyle and I like that era better than newer Imprezas.

ryguy79 wrote:I still can't believe I wrote that last paragraph and even moreso that its true.

Yep. I hear you. Driving back from Canmore today we were passed by about a half dozen performance cars. Couple modded hatch backs, a few lowered BMWs, and a gorgeous Cayman. All clearly part of the car club. Loved seeing them. A couple years ago I'd have been jealous, but now I was just wondering how I'd ever get our two mountain bikes and a road bike into them. Plus gear. And whatever camping supplies we might need. Plus it's doubtful I could get all the way to the mountains and back on a half a tank of gas in any of them.

Cool to look at. And if I had a lot of money I'd keep something fast and impractical in the garage, too. But with limited resources and other interests it's just looking less and less like something I'll put money into. Honestly happier with a diesel golf. When / if we get a second car, I'd be seriously thinking about a pre-owned short box Tacoma.

ryguy79 wrote:So I've since driven a 2005 Impreza Outback Sport and a 2007 Impreza wagon. 07 felt slightly more free revving but not necessarily faster. Neither was fast, but decently fun and lots of WRX suspension bits bolt right up. And I won't mind putting a hitch and bike rack on the back of these. Probably better overall for my lifestyle and I like that era better than newer Imprezas.

My parents had a 2007 Impreza Wagon for a while. I really liked that car. Not quick, no. But it felt respectable from my seat of the pants perspective. Good styling. And I liked the sounds of the Flat 4. Very growly and mean. Plus there's just something about an Impreza wagon with kayaks on top, and a bike hitch at the back. Looks right, somehow.